Printing system, control method, and storage medium storing program

ABSTRACT

When a printing apparatus receives error information from a sheet processing apparatus while executing a print job, execution of the print job is stopped. After the execution of the print job is stopped, it is determined in accordance with the type of sheet processing apparatus whether to discharge a printing sheet on a conveyance path in the printing system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a printing system, a control method, and a storage medium storing a program.

2. Description of the Related Art

A printing system which performs high-productivity, high-efficiency printing, like POD (Print On Demand), includes a large-scale printing apparatus, and various sheet processing apparatuses (finishing apparatuses) are connected at the subsequent stage of the printing apparatus. In the printing system in which sheet processing apparatuses are connected, when an error occurs, the working efficiency of the operator needs to be increased in recovery from the error. In particular, there is known a technique in which, when a sheet jam is detected in a printing apparatus, the detected position is compared with the positions of sheets remaining in all conveyance paths upon jam detection, and the remaining sheets are automatically discharged (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 9-011559 and 2008-162745). There is also known a technique in which, when a printing apparatus shifts to the printing stop state, the presence/absence of remaining sheets in the printing apparatus is determined, and when there are remaining sheets, an instruction to automatically discharge them from the apparatus can be accepted from an external apparatus or operator (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-104141).

In the printing system as handled in POD, various sheet processing apparatuses are used and provided by various vendors different from that of the printing apparatus. Hence, the printing apparatus needs to be configured to easily connect sheet processing apparatuses which can be provided by various vendors. To meet this demand, for example, the communication interface between the sheet processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is simplified. With this arrangement, the printing apparatus need not be aware of the capability of the sheet processing apparatus, and suffices to assign a specific output destination of the printing apparatus to the sheet feed port of the sheet processing apparatus. The sheet processing apparatus executes sheet processing for a sheet accepted from the sheet feed port in accordance with an instruction set in the sheet processing apparatus. After conveying a sheet to the output destination connected to the sheet processing apparatus, the printing apparatus need not perform control for the sheet basically.

If an error occurs in the sheet processing apparatus, the sheet processing apparatus does not notify the printing apparatus of details of the error, and the printing apparatus does not perform detailed processing such as a recovery operation against the error. Therefore, when an error occurs in the sheet processing apparatus, details are displayed on only the display unit of the sheet processing apparatus, and the printing apparatus only prompts the user to see the display unit of the sheet processing apparatus.

With this arrangement, the sheet processing apparatus can be easily connected to the printing apparatus. While the communication interface between the sheet processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is simplified, control of the sheet processing apparatus by the printing apparatus is omitted. This arrangement can implement high productivity while various sheet processes can be easily connected in line.

However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-011559 does not mention error recovery in response to an error notification from a sheet processing apparatus developed by a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus during execution of a job. For example, assume that the sheet processing apparatus is a saddle stitching apparatus. In this arrangement, when a jam occurs during execution of a job in the saddle stitching apparatus available from a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus, or when the saddle stitching apparatus runs out of staples for saddle stitching, the printing apparatus is notified only that the error has occurred in the sheet processing apparatus. However, the printing apparatus cannot discriminate, from only the error notification, between an abnormal state in which, for example, a sheet is jammed in the saddle stitching apparatus available from the vendor different from that of the printing apparatus, and a standby state in wait for replenishment with staples.

A case in which, when an error is notified from a sheet processing apparatus, it is regarded not as the abnormal state but as the standby state will be examined. In this case, even if a jam has occurred in the sheet processing apparatus, the printing apparatus keeps remaining sheets staying in it. Since the error for which remaining sheets need to be removed has occurred in the sheet processing apparatus, the operator needs to manually remove all the remaining sheets in the printing apparatus in order to restart printing. To the contrary, a case in which, when an error is notified from a sheet processing apparatus, it is regarded as the abnormal state will be examined. In this case, even if a wait for replenishment with staples occurs in the sheet processing apparatus, the printing apparatus regards this as the abnormal state and discharges outside all remaining sheets in the printing apparatus. To restart printing, printing is performed again from the first sheet, wastefully consuming consumables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology. The present invention provides a printing apparatus which appropriately performs recovery in response to an error notification from a finishing apparatus, a printing apparatus control method, and a storage medium storing a program.

The present invention in one aspect provides a printing system comprising: a stop unit configured to, in a case where a printing apparatus receives error information from a sheet processing apparatus while executing a print job, stop execution of the print job; a determination unit configured to determine, in accordance with a type of the sheet processing apparatus, whether to discharge a printing sheet on a conveyance path in the printing system after the stop unit stops the execution of the print job; and a discharge unit configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines to discharge the printing sheet, discharge the printing sheet on the conveyance path in the printing system while the execution of the print job is stopped.

According to the present invention, recovery can be appropriately performed in response to an error notification from a finishing apparatus.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view exemplifying the arrangement of a printing environment system;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a printing system;

FIG. 3 is a view showing an arrangement near a conveyance path in the printing system;

FIG. 4 is a view exemplifying an operation unit;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when an error occurs in the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a view exemplifying a warning screen;

FIG. 7 is a view exemplifying an escape selection screen;

FIG. 8 is a view exemplifying a jam display screen;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when the user mode setting is changed in the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when an error occurs in the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a view exemplifying a user mode setting acceptance screen; and

FIG. 12 is a view exemplifying an error operation setting selection screen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the claims of the present invention, and that not all of the combinations of the aspects that are described according to the following embodiments are necessarily required with respect to the means to solve the problems according to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals denote the same parts, and a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

First Embodiment Arrangement of Printing Environment System

FIG. 1 is a view exemplifying the arrangement of a printing environment system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A printing environment system 1 is also usable as a POD (Print On Demand) environment and will also be referred to as a POD system 1. The POD system 1 includes a printing system 10, server 103, and client 104. The server 103 and client 104 are general-purpose information processing apparatuses such as PCs. The POD system 1 includes apparatuses used for respective finishing processes. For example, the POD system 1 includes a sheet folding apparatus 107, sheet cutting apparatus 109, saddle stitching apparatus 110, case binding apparatus 108, and scanner 102. The printing system 10 includes a printing apparatus 100 and sheet processing apparatus 200. In the embodiment, the printing apparatus 100 is, for example, an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) in which a plurality of functions such as the copy function and print function are integrated. However, the printing apparatus 100 may be a single-function printing apparatus having only the copy function or print function.

In the first embodiment, the sheet folding apparatus 107, case binding apparatus 108, sheet cutting apparatus 109, and saddle stitching apparatus 110 shown in FIG. 1 will be called sheet processing apparatuses, similar to the sheet processing apparatus 200 of the printing system 10. These apparatuses are defined as apparatuses capable of executing various sheet processes as finishing processes for sheets (printed sheets) printed by the printing apparatus 100. For example, the sheet folding apparatus 107 is an apparatus capable of executing folding processing for sheets printed by the printing apparatus 100. The sheet cutting apparatus 109 is an apparatus capable of executing cutting processing for sheets printed by the printing apparatus 100 for each sheet bundle of a plurality of sheets. The saddle stitching apparatus 110 is an apparatus capable of executing saddle stitching processing for sheets printed by the printing apparatus 100. The case binding apparatus 108 is an apparatus capable of executing case binding processing for sheets printed by the printing apparatus 100.

To execute various sheet processes by these sheet processing apparatuses, the operator needs to take out a material printed by the printing apparatus 100 from the discharge unit of the printing apparatus 100, and set the printed material in a target sheet processing apparatus. When a sheet processing apparatus other than the sheet processing apparatus 200 of the printing system 10 is used, intervention work by the operator is necessary after printing by the printing apparatus 100. In other words, when sheet processing is executed using the sheet processing apparatus 200 of the printing system 10, intervention work by the operator is unnecessary after printing by the printing apparatus 100. This is because the printing system 10 is configured to be able to directly supply a sheet printed by the printing apparatus 100 from the printing apparatus 100 to the sheet processing apparatus 200. More specifically, a sheet conveyance path in the printing apparatus 100 is configured to be connectable to a sheet conveyance path in the sheet processing apparatus 200. In this manner, the sheet processing apparatus 200 and printing apparatus 100 in the printing system 10 are physically connected to each other. The printing apparatus 100 and sheet processing apparatus 200 include CPUs and are capable of data communication between them. That is, the printing apparatus 100 and sheet processing apparatus 200 are also electrically connected to each other.

In the embodiment, a controller unit 205 (to be described later) of the printing apparatus 100 systematically controls the printing apparatus 100 and sheet processing apparatus 200. When processing is basically completed in the sheet processing apparatus 200, like state management or control of the sheet processing apparatus 200, the controller unit 205 only conveys a sheet to the sheet processing apparatus 200. That is, the controller unit 205 neither issues a detailed instruction nor performs control for processing in the sheet processing apparatus 200. The controller unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 only issues a sheet conveyance instruction to the sheet processing apparatus 200 and receives the state signal of the sheet processing apparatus 200 from the sheet processing apparatus 200, and does not perform an instruction and control synchronized with the sheet processing apparatus 200 as much as possible. In this case, the controller unit 205 executes sheet conveyance to the sheet processing apparatus 200 and minimum processing complying with the state of the sheet processing apparatus 200 in accordance with initial settings made upon connecting the sheet processing apparatus 200. The initial settings are, for example, the sheet interval in sheet conveyance, and whether sheet conveyance is performed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal or widthwise direction of the sheet. The printing apparatus 100 performs print processing for print data in accordance with a print job transmitted from the server 103, client 104, or the like via a network 101.

[Arrangement of Printing System 10]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the printing system 10. In the embodiment, the printing apparatus 100 incorporates all the units shown in FIG. 2 other than the sheet processing apparatus 200. The sheet processing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2 is not limited to a stand-alone sheet processing apparatus 200, but represents a series of in-line sheet processing apparatuses. The sheet processing apparatus 200 is detachable from the printing apparatus 100 and can be provided as an optional apparatus for the printing apparatus 100. With this arrangement, a necessary number of in-line finishers (finishing apparatuses) can be configured in the POD environment.

The copy function of the printing apparatus 100 is a function of storing data accepted from a scanner unit 201 in a hard disk (HDD) 209, and causing a printer unit 203 to print based on the data. The print function of the printing apparatus 100 is a function of storing, in the HDD 209, a print job and printing target data accepted from an external apparatus such as the server 103 or client 104 via an external I/F 202, and causing the printer unit 203 to print based on the data. The print function is capable of both color printing and monochrome printing.

The scanner unit 201 performs image processing for image data generated by optically reading the image of a document set on a document table. The external I/F 202 transmits/receives various data, commands, and the like to/from an external apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, network connection device, or external dedicated apparatus. The printer unit 203 performs print processing for printing target data stored in the HDD 209, and prints on a sheet. An operation unit 204 includes a display unit such as a display, and displays a user interface screen for, for example, setting each function. Also, the operation unit 204 accepts an instruction from the user via buttons, a keyboard, a pointing device, or a touch panel operation on the display. FIG. 4 is a view exemplifying the operation unit 204. The operation unit 204 includes a key input portion 402 capable of accepting a user operation with a hard key, and a touch panel portion 401 capable of accepting a user operation with a soft key (display key).

The controller unit 205 is, for example, a CPU and systematically controls the printing apparatus 100. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 207 stores programs such as a boot program and font information. In addition, the ROM 207 stores control programs for executing the processes of flowcharts to be described later, and a display control program for displaying a user interface (UI) screen on the display unit of the operation unit 204. The controller unit 205 executes these programs stored in the ROM 207 by reading them out to a readable/writable RAM 208. The ROM 207 also stores a program for executing an operation to interpret PDL (Page Description Language) data received from the server 103 or client 104 via the external I/F 202, and rasterize it into raster image data (bitmap image data).

The HDD 209 stores various jobs such as a print job, data to be processed by various jobs, and the like. The HDD 209 stores, for example, image data compressed by a compression/decompression unit 210. The controller unit 205 processes, for example, a print job stored in the HDD 209 via the scanner unit 201 or external I/F 202. The controller unit 205 processes image data sequentially in the print page order, and when it detects that a page has been discharged from the apparatus, deletes the image data from the HDD 209. When the controller unit 205 detects that all image data of all print pages have been deleted, it deletes the print job from the HDD 209. The controller unit 205 can also control to transmit these image data to an external apparatus via the external I/F 202. The compression/decompression unit 210 performs compression/decompression processing for image data stored in the RAM 208 and HDD 209 by various compression methods such as JBIG and JPEG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an arrangement near a conveyance path in the printing system 10. A case in which a copy job is executed will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a glue binding apparatus 200 a, large-volume stacker 200 b, and saddle stitching apparatus 200 c are connected as the sheet processing apparatus 200 at the subsequent stage of the printing apparatus 100. Assume that the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c is a DFD (Document Finishing Device) finisher. The DFD finisher is a finisher available from a vendor (3rd-party) different from that of the printing apparatus 100.

An auto document feeder (ADF) 301 arranged in the scanner unit 201 separates a plurality of document sheets set on the document tray by the user in order from the first sheet, and conveys them onto the glass document table. A reading unit 302 reads the image of the document conveyed onto the glass document table by using a CCD, generating image data. The controller unit 205 stores the generated image data in a storage area such as the RAM 208 or HDD 209.

The printing apparatus 100 is, for example, a tandem color printer including a plurality of photosensitive members (drums). The printing apparatus 100 includes sheet feed units such as sheet feed cassettes 317 and 318 and a manual feed tray 320, and feeds a sheet from one of the sheet feed units. A sheet feed deck 319 capable of storing a large volume of sheets is also connected as a sheet feed unit to the printing apparatus 100, and a sheet can be fed from the sheet feed deck 319. The printing apparatus 100 conveys a sheet fed from one of these sheet feed units to registration rollers 306, and temporarily stops the sheet in order to synchronize with an intermediate transfer belt 305. When a sheet waiting for transfer exists at the position of the registration rollers 306, the controller unit 205 controls to feed, from one of the sheet feed cassettes 317 and 318, sheet feed deck 319, and manual feed tray 320, a sheet for printing the next page. By feeding a sheet in this way, the conveyance interval between sheets can be shortened, increasing the printing productivity.

Printing target image data temporarily stored in the RAM 208 or HDD 209 is transferred to the printer unit 203, and is converted by a laser printing unit (not shown) into printing laser beams of four, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The laser beams irradiate photosensitive members corresponding to the respective colors, forming electrostatic latent images corresponding to the respective colors. Toner development is performed with toners of the four colors supplied from toner cartridges, and the visualized toner images are temporarily transferred from the photosensitive members to the intermediate transfer belt 305.

The intermediate transfer belt 305 circulates clockwise in FIG. 3 at a predetermined speed. When the intermediate transfer belt 305 circulates to a predetermined position, conveyance of the sheet on standby starts at the position of the registration rollers 306. The predetermined position is a position where almost the leading end of a sheet is conveyed to a secondary transfer position 316 when the leading end of an image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 305 reaches the secondary transfer position. At the secondary transfer position 316, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 305 is transferred to the sheet. The printed sheet bearing the toner image is further conveyed by a belt 307, and the toner is fixed by pressure and heat from a fixing unit 308. After the sheet is conveyed through the sheet conveyance path, it is discharged from the apparatus.

A discharge flapper 309 is configured to be swingable about a swing shaft and specifies a sheet conveyance direction. When the discharge flapper 309 swings clockwise in FIG. 3 and is fixed at this position, a sheet discharged from the fixing unit 308 keeps conveyed in the lateral direction, and is conveyed by discharge rollers 310 to the glue binding apparatus 200 a serving as one sheet processing apparatus 200. In this fashion, single-sided printing is executed.

When printing images on the two surfaces of a sheet, the discharge flapper 309 swings counterclockwise in FIG. 3 and is fixed at this position. The course of the sheet discharged from the fixing unit 308 is changed downward, and the sheet is fed into a double-sided conveyance unit. The double-sided conveyance unit includes a reversing flapper 311, reversing rollers 312, a reversing guide 313, and a double-sided tray 314. The reversing flapper 311 swings about a swing shaft and specifies a sheet conveyance direction. When performing double-sided printing, the controller unit 205 controls to swing the reversing flapper 311 counterclockwise in FIG. 3, and feed, to the reversing guide 313 via the reversing rollers 312, a sheet having the first surface (obverse surface) on which an image has been printed. Then, the reversing rollers are temporarily stopped in a state in which the trailing end of the sheet is clamped by the reversing rollers arranged at the entrance of the reversing guide. Subsequently, the reversing flapper 311 swings clockwise in FIG. 3, and the reversing rollers are rotated backward. The sheet can therefore be conveyed to the double-sided tray 314 after it is switched back and conveyed to swap over the trailing and leading ends of the sheet. The sheet is temporarily held on the double-sided tray 314 and is fed again to the registration rollers 306 by a refeed roller 315. At this time, the sheet is conveyed in a state in which the second surface (reverse surface) opposite to the surface bearing the toner transferred by the transfer process for the first surface faces the intermediate transfer belt 305. Similar to the transfer process for the first surface, an image is formed on the second surface of the sheet. After the fixing unit 308 fixes the image formed on the second surface of the sheet, the sheet bearing the image is conveyed by the discharge rollers 310 to the glue binding apparatus 200 a serving as one sheet processing apparatus 200. In this manner, double-sided printing is executed.

The sheet having one or two surfaces on which images have been printed by the printing apparatus 100 is selectively conveyed to the glue binding apparatus 200 a, large-volume stacker 200 b, or saddle stitching apparatus 200 c in accordance with print settings accepted via the operation unit 204. For example, when it is set to execute glue binding, the sheet is conveyed to the glue binding apparatus 200 a, undergoes bookbinding processing, and is discharged to a bound product discharge unit 331. In bookbinding processing, a plurality of sheets on which images have been printed by the printing apparatus 100 are wrapped with a sheet fed from an inserter 332 and bound, as needed. The bound printed material is accumulated on the bound product discharge unit 331. When it is set to execute large-volume stacking processing, a sheet on which an image has been printed by the printing apparatus 100 is conveyed to the large-volume stacker 200 b through a sheet conveyance path 330 of the glue binding apparatus 200 a. The large-volume stacker 200 b discharges the received sheet to an escape tray 335 or stacking unit 334.

When it is set to execute sheet processing in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, a sheet printed by the printing apparatus 100 is conveyed to the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c through the sheet conveyance path 330 and a sheet conveyance path 333 of the respective apparatuses. Processing to be executed by the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c for the received sheet, or the discharge destination of the sheet is decided in accordance with a setting accepted via an operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c.

For example, when it is set on the operation unit 336 to execute staple processing, the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c accumulates received sheets on an intermediate tray. When a bundle of sheets to be stapled is prepared on the intermediate tray, the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c staples the bundle of sheets and discharges it to a discharge unit 338. When it is set on the operation unit 336 to execute saddle stitching processing, the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c executes saddle stitching processing for received sheets and discharges them to a discharge unit 339. When no sheet processing is selected on the operation unit 336, the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c discharges received sheets to a discharge unit 337 without executing any processing for them.

As described above, the printing system 10 executes processes such as sheet feeding, printing, respective post-processes, and discharge. Note that the printing system 10 includes sheet detection sensors on the sheet conveyance paths of the printing apparatus 100, glue binding apparatus 200 a, large-volume stacker 200 b, and saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. For example, the sheet detection sensors are arranged at the entrance and exit of each apparatus, and the branch point and confluence between sheet conveyance paths. In FIG. 3, triangular marks indicate examples of positions where the sheet detection sensors are arranged, and A to Q represent the sheet detection sensors. By detecting signals from the sheet detection sensors A to L, the controller unit 205 detects the presence/absence of sheets conveyed through the sheet conveyance paths and the positions of the sheets.

However, the controller unit 205 need not directly detect signals from the sheet detection sensors M to Q, and the control unit (for example, CPU) of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c detects these signals. In accordance with the detected signals, the control unit of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c notifies the controller unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 of state information of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c.

For example, when a signal from a given sheet detection sensor is kept detected for a predetermined time or more, the controller unit 205 or the control unit of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c determines that a sheet stay jam has occurred at a position corresponding to the sensor which keeps transmitting the signal. Alternatively, when a sheet having passed through a given sheet detection sensor does not pass through the next sheet detection sensor even after a predetermined time or more, the controller unit 205 or the control unit of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c determines that a sheet delay jam has occurred between these sheet detection sensors.

When the controller unit 205 detects that a sheet stay jam has occurred on the sheet conveyance path in the printing apparatus, it interrupts printing, and displays the position of the sheet to be removed and the removal procedure as guidance in accordance with the signal from the sheet detection sensor. Alternatively, when the control unit of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c detects that a sheet stay jam has occurred on the sheet conveyance path in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, it displays the position of the sheet to be removed and the removal procedure as guidance on the operation unit 336. Further, the control unit of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c notifies the controller unit 205 of the printing apparatus of the abnormal state information. The abnormal state information notified at this time merely represents that an error has occurred, and does not represent detailed information of the error about the location where the stay jam has occurred in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. Upon receiving the abnormal state information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, the controller unit 205 displays a message on the display unit of the operation unit 204 to refer to the operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. The operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c displays detailed error information of the stay jam.

From the display on the operation unit 204 or operation unit 336, the user can grasp locations of the printing system 10 where sheets to be removed exist. In accordance with the displayed guidance, the user opens the doors of respective units and removes the sheets from the sheet conveyance paths. After the user removes all the sheets, he issues a printing restart instruction via the operation unit 204. Upon accepting the printing restart instruction, the controller unit 205 restarts printing.

Sheet detection sensors A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4 are arranged at the sheet feed ports of the respective sheet feed units, that is, sheet feed cassettes 317 and 318, sheet feed deck 319, and manual feed tray 320, as sheet feed sensors corresponding to the respective sheet feed ports. These sheet feed sensors detect fed sheets, and transmit sheet detection signals to the controller unit 205. The controller unit 205 counts the numbers of sheets fed from the respective sheet feed units in accordance with the sheet detection signals received from the sheet feed sensors. The controller unit 205 holds the count values in the RAM 208. Hence, the controller unit 205 can grasp the numbers of sheets fed from the respective sheet feed units in a job during execution.

The embodiment has explained a 4D (Drum) color MFP as the printing apparatus 100. However, the printing apparatus 100 is not limited to this arrangement, and may be a monochrome MFP or a 1D (Drum) color MFP. As for a print job, print data received via the external I/F 202 is used, instead of image data from the scanner unit 201. The remaining points are the same as those for a copy job.

Processing when an error such as a stay jam occurs in a saddle stitching apparatus 200 c will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when an error occurs in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. Respective processes shown in FIG. 5 are implemented by reading out a control program from a ROM 207 and executing it by a controller unit 205 of a printing apparatus 100.

First, in step S501, the controller unit 205 determines whether it has received an error notification from the printing apparatus 100 or a sheet processing apparatus 200 in a printing system 10. If the controller unit 205 determines that it has received an error notification, the process advances to step S502. The processing in step S501 is repeated until it is determined that an error notification has been received. Then, in step S502, the controller unit 205 determines whether print processing is being executed upon receiving the error notification. If the controller unit 205 determines that printing is not being executed, the process advances to step S511; if it determines that printing is being executed, to step S503.

Processes in step S511 and subsequent steps will be explained. In step S511, the controller unit 205 determines whether all the factors of the received error notification have been canceled. If the controller unit 205 determines that all the factors of the error notification have been canceled, the process advances to step S513. If at least one factor of the error notification has been detected, the process advances to step S512. In step S512, the controller unit 205 acquires the detected error notification information and displays the error notification information on the display unit of an operation unit 204. After that, the process returns to step S511. If the detected error notification information represents an error in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, a warning screen 601 as shown in FIG. 6 pops up to call attention of the user. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, a message that an error has occurred in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c is displayed to prompt the user to see an operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c for details. In step S513, the controller unit 205 ends the display of the error notification information and the information about the recovery procedure displayed on the display of the operation unit 204, returns the state to a printable state, and ends the processing of FIG. 5.

Referring again to step S502, processes in step S503 and subsequent steps when it is determined in step S502 that print processing is being executed will be explained. In step S503, the controller unit 205 executes stop processing for all print jobs. At this time, stop processing for sheets being conveyed in the printing apparatus is also executed, and the process advances to step S504. The stop processing also includes control of conveying a sheet near the fixing unit to a position different from the fixing unit, and then stopping the sheet.

In step S504, the controller unit 205 determines, based on information from the sheet detection sensors in the printing system 10, the presence/absence of sheets (remaining sheets) remaining in the printing apparatus 100. If the controller unit 205 determines that there is no remaining sheet, the process advances to step S511. If the controller unit 205 determines that there are remaining sheets, the process advances to step S505.

In step S505, the controller unit 205 determines whether the error notification information received from step S501 includes error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. If the controller unit 205 determines that the error notification information received from step S501 includes error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, the process advances to step S506. If the controller unit 205 determines that the error notification information received from step S501 does not include error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, the process advances to step S508.

In step S506, the controller unit 205 displays, on the operation unit 204, an escape selection screen 701 for selecting whether to automatically escape a remaining sheet in the printing apparatus 100. The process then advances to step S507. The escape is to forcibly discharge a printed remaining sheet in the printing apparatus 100 from a nearby discharge portion even if the remaining sheet requires post-processing. FIG. 7 is a view exemplifying the escape selection screen 701. As shown in FIG. 7, the escape selection screen 701 displays a message that an unspecified error has occurred in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. The user can select whether to execute escape processing of discharging a sheet remaining in the printing apparatus 100 from a nearby discharge portion.

In step S507, the controller unit 205 determines which of buttons 702 and 703 has been pressed on the escape selection screen 701. If the controller unit 205 determines that the button 702 has been pressed, the process advances to step S508; if it determines that the button 703 has been pressed, to step S509. In step S508, the controller unit 205 detects the positions of sheets remaining in the printing apparatus 100 and the states of the conveyance paths from detection signals from the sheet detection sensors in the printing apparatus 100, specifies escapable discharge destinations for the respective sheets, and executes escape processing. In step S509, the controller unit 205 determines again the presence/absence of sheets remaining in the printing apparatus 100. If the controller unit 205 determines that there is no remaining sheet, the process advances to step S511; if it determines that there are remaining sheets, to step S510. In step S510, the controller unit 205 displays a jam display screen as shown in FIG. 8 about position information of the remaining sheets on the display unit of the operation unit 204 based on detection signals from the sheet detection sensors, and prompts the user to perform recovery processing. The jam display continues until recovery processing by the user is completed.

In steps S506 and S507 of FIG. 5, the controller unit 205 displays the escape selection screen 701. However, when the user removes remaining sheets and the presence of a remaining sheet is not detected during display of the escape selection screen 701, the process may advance to step S511.

As described above, even when error information is received from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c which is a sheet processing apparatus available from a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus 100, the user can select processing complying with the error information. The user sees the display on the operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, and if automatic escape in the printing apparatus 100 is necessary, presses the button 702 in accordance with an instruction displayed on the operation unit 204 of the printing apparatus 100. The user can efficiently perform recovery processing by a minimum operation. Also, the user sees the display on the operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, and if automatic escape in the printing apparatus is unnecessary, presses the button 703 in accordance with an instruction displayed on the operation unit 204 of the printing apparatus 100. Wasteful discharge of printed materials can therefore be prevented. This can increase the efficiency of the printing system. The embodiment has explained the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c available from a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus 100. However, the embodiment is applicable to even a sheet processing apparatus other than one available from a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus 100 when the sheet processing apparatus connected at the subsequent stage of the printing apparatus 100 independently controls the apparatus itself and the printing apparatus 100 cannot acquire details of error information in the sheet processing apparatus.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 9 and 10 are flowcharts showing processing procedures when an error occurs in a saddle stitching apparatus 200 c in the second embodiment. Respective processes shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are implemented by reading out a control program from a ROM 207 and executing it by a controller unit 205 of a printing apparatus 100.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when a change of the user mode setting is accepted on an operation unit 204 of the printing apparatus 100. The processing shown in FIG. 9 is performed before execution of a print job, and may be executed at the time of, for example, installing the printing apparatus 100. Upon accepting a change of the user mode setting, the controller unit 205 displays a user mode setting acceptance screen 1101 as shown in FIG. 11. In step S901, the controller unit 205 determines whether an error operation setting selection button 1102 has been pressed. If the controller unit 205 determines that the error operation setting selection button 1102 has been pressed, the process advances to step S902. In step S902, the controller unit 205 displays the error operation setting screen 1201 shown in FIG. 12 on the operation unit 204, and the process advances to step S903.

In step S903, the controller unit 205 determines whether a button in an error operation setting screen 1201 has been pressed. If the controller unit 205 determines that the button has been pressed, the process advances to step S904. In step S904, the controller unit 205 determines which of mode setting buttons 1202 and 1203 and another button has been pressed. If the controller unit 205 determines that a button other than the buttons 1202 and 1203, for example, an OK button 1204 or cancel button 1205 has been pressed, it ends the processing of FIG. 9. If the controller unit 205 determines that the button 1202 or 1203 has been pressed, the process advances to step S905. In step S905, the controller unit 205 saves a setting corresponding to the pressed button in an HDD 209, and ends the processing of FIG. 9. For example, if the controller unit 205 determines that the button 1203 has been pressed, and the printing apparatus 100 receives unspecified error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, escape of remaining sheets is automatically executed. If the controller unit 205 determines that the button 1202 has been pressed, and the printing apparatus 100 receives unspecified error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, escape of remaining sheets is not automatically executed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing procedures when an error occurs in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. Processes in steps S1001 to S1005 and S1008 to S1013 of FIG. 10 are the same as those in steps S501 to S505 and S508 to S513 of FIG. 5. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in steps S1006 and S1007.

If the controller unit 205 receives error notification information from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c in step S1006, it acquires, from the HDD 209, the setting representing whether to automatically escape remaining sheets in the printing apparatus 100, and the process advances to step S1007. In step S1007, the controller unit 205 determines whether the content of the acquired setting is a setting of performing automatic escape. If the controller unit 205 determines that the content of the acquired setting is a setting of performing automatic escape, the process advances to step S1008; if it determines that the content is a setting of performing no automatic escape, to step S1009.

In the above description, two choices representing whether to perform automatic escape are provided as choices on the error operation setting screen 1201. However, the error operation setting screen 1201 may display a mode choice capable of selecting whether to perform escape processing every time error information is received from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. If the user selects this choice, the same operation as that in the first embodiment is performed. Also, when it is determined in step S1007 that the content of the acquired setting is a setting of performing no automatic escape, the operation unit 204 may display the selection screen in FIG. 7 to prompt the user to select whether to execute escape every time error information is received from the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c.

The setting representing whether to perform automatic escape may be made by a serviceman at the time of installing the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. In this case, for example, when connecting the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, the serviceman sets capability information representing whether the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c can notify the printing apparatus 100 of detailed information of an error in the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c. In this arrangement, the controller unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 may set to perform automatic escape processing in accordance with the capability information, for example, when no detailed information can be notified.

In the embodiment, when a sheet processing apparatus incapable of notifying the printing apparatus 100 of detailed information of an error is connected, it is set to automatically perform escape processing by the printing apparatus 100. The user need not check the operation unit 336 of the saddle stitching apparatus 200 c, improving user friendliness. This is because, for example, when a sheet processing apparatus in which only a specific error such as a stay jam readily occurs as an error during printing is connected, even if error information is received from the sheet processing apparatus, detailed information of an error can be predicted.

As described above, while the mechanism of communication and exchange of information with a sheet processing apparatus available from a vendor different from that of the printing apparatus 100 is simplified to facilitate development on the vendor side different from that of the printing apparatus 100, recovery processing complying with the situation upon generation of an error can be executed in the printing apparatus. Even when an error occurs in the printing system, efficient error processing without a waste can be executed by a minimum operation.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For this purpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (for example, computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-275102, filed Dec. 17, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A printing system comprising: a stop unit configured to, in a case where a printing apparatus receives error information from a sheet processing apparatus while executing a print job, stop execution of the print job; a determination unit configured to determine, in accordance with a type of the sheet processing apparatus, whether to discharge a printing sheet on a conveyance path in the printing system after said stop unit stops the execution of the print job; and a discharge unit configured to, in a case where said determination unit determines to discharge the printing sheet, discharge the printing sheet on the conveyance path in the printing system while the execution of the print job is stopped.
 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an acceptance unit configured to accept a selection representing whether to discharge the printing sheet on the conveyance path while said stop unit stops the execution of the print job, wherein in a case where the sheet processing apparatus is of a predetermined type and said acceptance unit accepts a selection representing discharge of the printing sheet, said determination unit determines to discharge the printing sheet on the conveyance path in the printing system while the execution of the print job is stopped.
 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said acceptance unit includes a selection screen for accepting the selection.
 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the selection screen is displayed on a display unit in a case where the error information is received from the sheet processing apparatus.
 5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said acceptance unit accepts the selection before executing the print job.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the error information includes information representing that an error has occurred in the sheet processing apparatus.
 7. A printing system control method comprising: a stop step of, in a case where a printing apparatus receives error information from a sheet processing apparatus while executing a print job, stopping execution of the print job; a determination step of determining, in accordance with a type of the sheet processing apparatus, whether to discharge a printing sheet on a conveyance path in the printing system after the execution of the print job is stopped in the stop step; and a discharge step of, in a case where the printing sheet is determined in the determination step to be discharged, discharging the printing sheet on the conveyance path in the printing system while the execution of the print job is stopped.
 8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a printing system control method, the program including: a stop step of, in a case where a printing apparatus receives error information from a sheet processing apparatus while executing a print job, stopping execution of the print job; a determination step of determining, in accordance with a type of the sheet processing apparatus, whether to discharge a printing sheet on a conveyance path in the printing system after the execution of the print job is stopped in the stop step; and a discharge step of, in a case where the printing sheet is determined in the determination step to be discharged, discharging the printing sheet on the conveyance path in the printing system while the execution of the print job is stopped. 